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Millions Continue To Click On Spam
An anonymous reader writes "Even though over 80% of email users are aware of the existence of bots, tens of millions respond to spam in ways that could leave them vulnerable to a malware infection, according to a Messaging Anti-Abuse Working Group (MAAWG) survey. In the survey, half of users said they had opened spam, clicked on a link in spam, opened a spam attachment, replied or forwarded it — activities that leave consumers susceptible to fraud, phishing, identity theft, and infection. While most consumers said they were aware of the existence of bots, only one-third believed they were vulnerable to an infection."
Humans will always be the weak link in security.
And then they call the IT Dept. claiming that they did nothing..It's just started acting weird..all by itself.. I was just reading this cute mail I got about penises and viagra!
I am incredulous that "80%" of people are aware of botnets. I call B.S. on that figure. Most people think "the internet" is a utopia where nothing can go wrong.
Sent from your iPad.
Congratulations!!!
Your name has been picked. You have just won millions of dollars worth of software. You are also granted the permission to give this software to all of your friends and family.
Click on this link to claim your prize...
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They're probably the users who believe that computers run off magic. For any above-absolute-beginner, common sense should kick in naturally.
This goes to show the level of incompetence, and talking from experience too:
Me: "Okay you're logged into the system?" ...(proceed a barrage of troubleshooting)...
Cust: "Uh-yes"
Me: Click on the Reports menu item"
Cust: (silence) I don't see it.
Me: "Any errors pop up recently?"
Me: "What DO you see?"
Cust: "Just a white page with an image, that says 'Google'"
You can, but all cures are lethal.
The computer industry is largely to blame for user's attitudes; they've spent years convincing everyone that computers would make their lives easier and do everything for them without requiring any specialist knowledge and we all know that's bollocks.
We simply wouldn't accept it if the same proportion of people who outright refuse to even try and understand the basics of the IT tasks they perform every day did the same thing with cars or washing machines or lawn mowers. The roads would be carnage - tens of thousands of drivers refusing to learn how to use the stearing wheel or brakes because they "Just want it to take me to the shops, I dont' care how it works".
I really don't think there's any short-term solution to the problem.
Millions of computer users are idiots.
Ignorant != stupid. The difference is, there's a cure for ignorance, none for stupidity. But everyone is ignorant. I know about as much about running a bar and construction company as Mike knows about running a computer. I have as little interest in learning about construction as he does about running a computer -- little to none. I just want a house to live in, he just wants his computer to work.
Free Martian Whores!
How about some crusaders who mount spam campaigns that, when clicked, scare the holy living hell out of the recipient? Display your geo-location info and a big flashing progress meter that says, "withdrawing funds from your bank account...55%...100%...done" and then a dialog box pops up and says, "Why'd you click on a spam link, sucker? I'll be enjoying your money while I vacation in the Cayman Islands!" Of course no money would be stolen but it would at least give a few idiots the scare of their lives and get them to stop clicking on spam.
Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
I resent the judgement that my clickable spam was "offtopic"..
which is totally what she said
Running Linux doesn't make you safe at all, man.
Instead of clicking on links in message that "might be" real, have a look at the message source. Safer.
In defense of your mother, I would have had no idea what to do if you told me to look at the start bar. Task bar, notification area, system tray, I'd have understood any of those, but "start bar" is completely new to me.
> The roads would be carnage - tens of thousands of drivers refusing to learn how to use the stearing wheel or brakes because they "Just want it to take me to the shops, I dont' care how it works". ... (some car lawyer site...)
Well isn't it exactly what is happening ?
> There were about 2.9 million injury cases and 42636 car accident deaths.
Yet you know that if your roof leaks you can either look at the tiles and try to patch it yourself, or you call a professional to do it for you. You know that if your house is dirty, you must clean it. You know that if you get bugs, you must call an exterminator to get rid of them.
You know that if you buy a house, you must be ready to maintain it if you don't want it to fall apart. The same SHOULD be said of computer owners, yet this is not the case.
"continue to....forward it"!!!?!?!?!?!
FORWARD IT?!!
* apocalyptic seizure *
wha'? where am i?
I think you missed your own point -- most users don't care. If the computer becomes unusable they call in the guy who will format the computer and everything will be good again for a few months. Heck, people even have sex without condom when they know the dangers. I bet most people here... well nevermind. But believe me, people have sex without condom, share needles and they know the dangers, they still do it. That's people for you...